Apparatus for handling incapacitated patients

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for handling incapacitated patients is disclosed in one presently preferred embodiment of the present invention as including a bed ( 1 ) having a base frame ( 2 ) which supports a central panel ( 5 ) for supporting the patient&#39;s bottom, a second panel ( 8 ) and a third panel ( 9 ) for supporting the upper and lower parts, respectively, of the patient&#39;s legs and a fourth panel ( 6 ) for supporting the patient&#39;s back, there being drive means for displacing the panels such that in one configuration their upper surfaces lie in a single horizontal plane and in another configuration adjacent panels are inclined with respect to each other, characterized in that the apparatus further includes a leg support ( 12 ) which is displaceable into and out of a position in which it forms a local widening of the bed ( 1 ), in which position it can support the lower parts of the patient&#39;s legs when the patient is in an attitude in which the legs are straight or are bent and the patient is lying on his side, and further characterized by a patient support ( 250 ) having a seat portion and a back portion, the patient support ( 250 ) being supported by the bed ( 11 ), the apparatus being such that when the patient is in said attitude said seat portion may be interposed between the patient&#39;s bottom and upper parts of the legs, on the one hand, and the second panel ( 8 ) when upright, on the other hand, with the back portion of the patient support ( 250 ) adjacent the patient&#39;s back, and the fourth panel ( 6 ) may be brought upright by said drive means to cause the patient to adopt a sitting position on the patient support ( 250 ).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. The Field of the Invention

This invention relates to apparatus for supporting a patient comprisinga bed.

2. Background

U.S. Patent Specification No. 4,006,499 discloses a patient's bed havinga base frame which supports a central panel for supporting the patient'sbottom, a second panel and a third panel for supporting the upper andlower parts, respectively, of the patient's legs and a fourth panel forsupporting the patient's back. There are drive means for displacing thepanels such that in one configuration their upper surfaces lie in asingle horizontal plane and in another configuration adjacent panels areinclined with respect to each other such that the patient is supportedin a sitting position with his back and the lower parts of his legsinclined in the same sense to the vertical and the upper parts of hislegs horizontal. There is no disclosure of the possibility of using thedrive means to assist the patient in leaving the bed other than bycausing him to stand upright preparatory to walking.

French Patent Specification No. 949,470 discloses a patient's trolley inwhich a panel at one end can be lifted, presumably manually, from ahorizontal position to an inclined position to raise the patient's head.A side bar of the trolley is constructed to support various accessorieswhich can be slid along it, including a leg support which forms a localwidening of the trolley and is designed to support the lower part of oneleg of the patient when heis lying on his back with that one legprojecting beyond one side of the trolley proper. The leg support alwaysforms a local widening of the trolley, wherever the leg support issituated, until it is removed entirely from the trolley.

U.S. Patent Specification No. 4,737,997 discloses a method oftransferring a patient from a bed to a wheelchair without usingelectrical or other power other than manual power. starting from thesituation where the patient is lying on one of his sides on the bed, apatient support having a seat portion and a back portion is placed onthe bed, with the seat portion engaging the patient's bottom and theupper parts of his legs and the back portion engaging the patient'sback. Then the patient support is strapped to the patient and the twoare rolled over by an assistant until the patient is sitting on the seatportion with the lower parts of his legs dangling over the side of thebed or projecting beyond it. A buggy is then advanced towards the bed,secured to the patient support and backed away from the bed to carry thepatient away from the bed. A wheel chair is then moved towards thepatient from behind him until the seat portion and the back portion ofthe patient support are close to the seat and back portions of thewheelchair and the buggy is then disconnected from the patient supportand removed, leaving the patient seated on the wheelchair. The operationof rolling the patient over, with the patient support strapped to him,would be difficult, especially in the case of a heavy patient.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide a bed having a plurality ofpossible configurations and from which a patient can be removed in asitting position using motive power which is provided on the bed forchanging the configuration of the bed.

According to the invention, there is provided an apparatus forsupporting a patient comprising a bed having a base frame which supportsa central panel for supporting the patient's bottom, a second panel anda third panel for supporting the upper and lower parts, respectively, ofthe patient's legs and a fourth panel for supporting the patient's back,there being conventional drive means for displacing the panels such thatin one configuration their upper surfaces lie in a single horizontalplane and in another configuration adjacent panels are inclined withrespect to each other, characterised in that the apparatus furtherincludes a leg support which is displaceable into and out of a positionin which it forms a local widening of the bed, in which position it cansupport the lower parts of the patient's legs when the patient is in anattitude in which the legs are straight or are bent and the patient islying on his side, and further characterized by a patient seat supporthaving a seat portion and a back portion, the patient seat support beingsupported by the bed, the apparatus being such that when the patient isin said attitude said seat portion may be interposed between thepatient's bottom and upper parts of the legs, on the one hand, and thesecond panel when upright, on the other hand, with the back portion ofthe patient seat support adjacent the patient's back, and the fourthpanel may be brought upright by said drive means to cause the patient toadopt a sitting position on the patient seat support.

The leg support is preferably pivotally mounted on the bed.

To assist in causing the patient to lie on his side, the bed may berotated about on axis extending horizontally along the bed and thenrotated back again.

To assist in placing the patient seat support in an optimum position onthe bed, in relation to the patient, there are preferably means wherebythe fourth panel can be brought into a position in which its uppersurface is parallel to, but in a higher plane than, the upper surface ofthe central panel. Preferable there are means for interlocking thecentral panel and the fourth panel so that they may be pivoted togetherto bring the fourth panel upright.

When the patient seat support is upright and the patient is sitting onit on the bed, a buggy is preferably engaged with the patient supportand used to transport the patient away from the bed.

If the leg support is pivotally mounted on the central axle or on thefourth panel, the leg support does not impede use of the buggy becauseit swings out of the buggy's path.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

An example in accordance with the invention is described below withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 show diagrammatical views, from one side, of a bed withrelatively movable parts in differing orientations,

FIGS. 3 to 5 show diagrammatically upper parts of the same bed and apatient support positioned on it, the support and movable parts of thebed being shown in differing orientations,

FIG. 6 shows diagrammatically the same patient support and a buggy forcarrying it,

FIG. 7 shows a view, from the opposite side, of details of the bed, and

FIG. 8 shows an exploded view corresponding to FIG. 7, showing furtherdetails of the bed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The illustrated bed 1 includes a base frame 2 on which are mountedwheels 2A and a patient support 3 having an upstanding head board 3A andfoot board 3B. On the support 3 are a central panel 5 for supporting thepatient's bottom, a second panel 8 for supporting the upper parts of thepatient's legs, a third panel 9 for supporting the lower parts of thepatient's legs and a fourth panel 6 for supporting the patient's back,shoulders and head. A leg support 12 is displaceable from a storageposition below the support 3, as shown in FIG. 1, to an in-use position,shown in FIG. 2, in which it forms a local widening of the bed and cansupport the lower parts (below the knees) of the patient's legs when thepatient is in an attitude in which the legs are bent at the knees andthe patient is lying on his side. In the illustrated case, the legsupport 12 is large enough to underlie also the upper parts (above theknees) of the patient's legs when the patient is in the above-mentionedattitude.

The frame 2 includes pivotally-connected struts which enable the support3 to be raised from the position shown in FIG. 1 to the position shownin FIG. 2, relative to the wheels 2A.

There are conventional drive means, not shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, fordisplacing the panels such that in one configuration, shown in FIGS. 1and 2, their upper surfaces lie in a single horizontal plane and inother configurations adjacent panels are inclined with respect to oneanother. Thus in FIG. 4 the panel 8 is shown substantially vertical andthe panel 9 inclined by a little more than 30° to the horizontal, whilstin FIG. 5 the panels 5 and 6 are shown vertical and the panels 8 and 9horizontal. In another configuration, not shown, the panels 8 and 9 areinclined in opposite senses to the horizontal and the panel 6 isinclined to the horizontal in the same sense as the panel 9, so that theknees are the highest parts of the patient's legs and the patient's headis higher still, with his back inclined. The angles of inclination canbe chosen from several angles for each of panels 6, 8 and 9.

By operation of further driving means the panel 6 can be brought into aposition, shown in FIG. 3, in which its upper surface is parallel to,but in a higher plane than, the upper surfaces of the panels 5, 8 and 9.FIG. 4 also shows the panel 6 raised with respect to the panel 5. Thisresults in the leg support 12 also being raised.

A patient seat support 250 is supported by the bed 1 when the patient isto be removed from the bed. It is like a chair with no legs and thuscomprises a seat portion 250A and a back portion 250B. When the patientis in the above-mentioned attitude on the bed, with at least the lowerparts of his legs supported by the leg support 12, the seat portion 250Amay be interposed between the patient's bottom and upper parts of thelegs, on the one hand, and the panel 8 when upright, on the other hand,with the back portion 250B lying along the patient's back. The patientseat support 250 may be positioned either before or after the panel 8 isbrought to its upright position but preferably after the panel 6 hasbeen raised with respect to the panel 5.

The panels 5 and 6 are locked together, by means not shown in FIGS. 1 to5, and then the drive means are operated to bring the panels 5 and 6from their horizontal positions, shown in FIG. 4, to vertical positions,shown in FIG. 5, and to bring the panels 8 and 9 back to theirhorizontal positions. This causes the seat portion 250A to adopt ahorizontal position with the patient's forelegs hanging over the side ofthe bed, no longer in contact with the leg support 12 which has movedout of the way by means of two arcuate rods 13 fixed to the leg support12 and sliding in tubes 14 fixed to the panel 6.

Raising the panel 6 with respect to the panel 5, leaving a step 10 shownin FIG. 3, facilitates positioning of the patient seat support 250 andensures that the patient will be more nearly centrally seated on theseat portion 250A.

FIG. 6 shows the patient seat support 250 in the orientation which ithas when it is on the bed with the patient sitting on its seat portion250A and also shows a buggy 260 which can be used to carry the patient,still on the patient seat support 250, away from the bed. The buggyincludes a chassis 261 on which wheels 263 are mounted, the chassissupporting tubular arms 262 on which rotatable tubular connectors 265are mounted. Rails 251 and 252 are mounted on the patient support 250 onopposite sides of the seat portion 250A. Each of the rails has anupstanding pin 254 near one end and a similar pin 254A near the otherend. The buggy is caused to advance towards the bed, the leading end ofthe chassis 261 passing under the bed, and the rails 251 enter thetubular arms 262 until the pins 254A enter the connectors 265, which arethen rotated to secure the patient seat support 250 to the buggy 260,which can then be backed away from the bed. Side bars 264 prevent thepatient rolling sideways and he may grip them if desired. It will beappreciated that the buggy incorporates drive means to facilitate theraising and lowering of the patient seat support 250.

Each of the panels 5, 6, 8 and 9 shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 consists of arigid panel base and a portion of mattress laid on it, the panel basesand mattress portions not being shown separately. In FIGS. 7 and 8 thepanel bases are shown but the mattress portions have been omitted.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show some details of a bed 1 which is similar in principleto the bed shown in FIGS. 1 to 5. The patient support 3 supports asub-frame 4 which in turn supports parallel bars 4A which can be raised,to cause the panel 6 to rise with respect to the panel 5, by struts 4Barranged scissor-fashion and by a ram 4C. Here the panel 6 is subdividedinto a head-supporting panel and a back-supporting panel, the two panelbases 6A′ and 6B′ being pivotally connected to each other as shown inFIG. 8, so that the patient's head may be raised.

As shown in FIG. 7, panel bases 5′ and 8′ are pivotally connectedtogether, as are panel bases 9′ and 8′, and each of the panel bases 6A′,6B′, 5′, 8′ and 9′ consists of a rectangular frame with thin elementsstretched across it to form a lattice. On the panel bases will be laid amattress, not shown, possibly consisting of individual parts, forexample one on panel bases 6A′ and 6B′ and one on panel bases 5′, 8′ and9′. The leg support 12 here is shown as a framework which lies in ahorizontal plane in the in-use position but can be swung into a storageposition in which the framework lies in a vertical plane. A bar 12Aextends from the leg support 12 and has the rods 13 mounted on it.

It will be readily appreciated that in many instances the constructionelements of the apparatus may be modified and/or varied by use ofmechanical equivalents without departing from the scope of theinvention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States LettersPatent is:
 1. An apparatus for supporting a body of a patient, theapparatus comprising: a bed comprising: a frame; a central panelsupported by the frame, the central panel having an upper major surface;a second panel supported by the frame, the second panel having an uppermajor surface; a third panel supported by the frame, the third panelhaving an upper major surface; a fourth panel supported by the frame,the fourth panel having an upper major surface; a drive means fordisplacing the panels between a first configuration wherein the uppermajor surface of each of the panels lie in a single horizontal plane anda second configuration wherein adjacent panels are adapted to beselectively inclined with respect to each other, the drive meanscomprising a linear actuator operable disposed between the frame and thesecond panel, the central panel, and the fourth panel, wherein uponextending a length of the actuator, the second panel pivots into asubstantially upright position relative to the frame and upon retractingthe length of the actuator, the second panel pivots into a substantiallyhorizontal position in relative to the frame, while the central paneland the fourth panel pivot into a substantially upright positionrelative to the frame; and a leg support supported by the frame, the legsupport being selectively displaceable between a storage position and anengaged position wherein the leg support provides a local widening ofthe bed; a patient seat support adapted to be selectively supported bythe bed, the patient seat support comprising a seat portion and a backportion disposed substantially perpendicular to the seat portion, theseat portion being configured to be selectively positionable between afirst position wherein the seat portion is disposed substantiallyperpendicular to the frame and a second position wherein the seatportion is disposed substantially parallel to the frame; wherein theseat portion of the patient seat support is disposed in the secondposition when the fourth panel of the bed is selectively positionable inthe upright position by the drive means such that the patient adopts asitting position on the patient seat support; and wherein the drivemeans further comprises a linear extendible ram and height-adjustableparallel support bars connected between the frame in the fourth panelwhich in combination with retraction of the linear actuator, assist infacilitating the disposition of the fourth panel into the uprightposition.
 2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising meanswhereby the fourth panel can be brought into a position in which theupper major surface of the fourth panel is parallel to, but in a higherplane than, the upper surface of the central panel.
 3. An apparatus asclaimed in claim 1 further comprising means for interlocking the centralpanel and the fourth panel, whereby the central panel and the fourthpanel are adapted to be pivoted together to bring the fourth panelupright.
 4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the leg supportis pivotally mounted on the fourth panel.
 5. An apparatus as claimed inclaim 4 wherein the pivotal mounting of the leg support in relation tothe fourth panel comprises two arcuate rods fixed to the leg support andtwo tubes fixed to the fourth panel in which the two arcuate rods slide.6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the leg support is movablesimultaneously with the drive means, the second panel and the thirdpanel are hingedly interconnected for relative movement of the secondand third panels between an in-line flat position and an angledposition, the fourth panel being pivotally moveable relative to thecentral panel, each of the panels being operable to be in alignment todefine a horizontal position, the drive means being operable to raiseand lower the fourth panel in a torso mode and raise and lower thefourth panel in an inclined position, with means being provided tosecure the fourth panel in the torso or inclined positions, the fourthpanel being operable to be raised and locked in the torso mode to form astepped configuration with the central panel, the second panel beingpivotable upwardly into a generally vertical position with the thirdpanel to lie into an inclined position, whereby the patient seat supportis placed in position behind the patient with the seat portion restingbetween the patient and the second panel and the back portion extendingupwardly along the patient's back, and with the interlocked fourth paneland central panel being operable to be pivoted upwardly on the frameinto an upright position whereby the fourth panel is moved to a positionwith its upper major surface parallel to, but in a higher plane than,the upper major surface of the central panel, the second panel and thethird panel.
 7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the legsupport rotates with the fourth panel when said fourth panel is pivotedupwardly on the frame into an upright position.
 8. An apparatus asclaimed in claim 1 wherein the patient seat support is positionable inan upright position and adapted to engaged with a buggy for transportingthe patient support away from the bed.
 9. An apparatus as claimed inclaim 1 wherein each panel consists of a rigid panel base and a portionof mattress laid on the rigid base, these portions being provided by afirst mattress on the panel bases of the central panel, the second paneland the third panel and a second mattress on the panel base of thefourth panel.
 10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the framecomprises a sub-frame with the plurality of said panels being movable onthe sub-frame.
 11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the legsupport is mounted at a side of the frame, the leg support being movablebetween a stored position underneath the frame and an engaged positionextending outwardly of the frame.
 12. An apparatus as claimed in claim11 wherein the leg support is mounted on the fourth panel, such thatwhen the patient is arranged on the patient seat support with the upperbody of the patient resting on the fourth panel, the upper legs of thepatient are bent and extend outwardly over the leg support which isfirst movable simultaneously and second rotatable simultaneously withthe fourth panel.
 13. An apparatus for supporting a body of a patient,the apparatus comprising: a bed comprising: a base frame; a patientsupport platform connected to the base frame, the patient supportplatform being selectively movable on the base frame; a central panelsupported by the patient support platform, the central panel having anupper surface; a second panel supported by the patient support platformand disposed contiguous the central panel, the second panel having anupper surface; a third panel supported by the patient support platformand disposed contiguous the second panel, the third panel having anupper surface; a fourth panel supported by the patient support platformand disposed contiguous the central panel, the fourth panel having anupper surface; a drive means for displacing the panels between a firstconfiguration wherein the upper surface of each of the panels lie in asingle horizontal plane and a second configuration wherein adjacentpanels are adapted to be selectively inclined with respect to eachother; and a leg support being selectively displaceable between astorage position and an engaged position wherein the leg supportprovides a local widening of the bed; a patient seat support adapted tobe selectively supported by the bed, the patient seat support comprisinga seat portion and a back portion disposed substantially perpendicularto the seat portion, the seat portion being configured to be selectivelypositionable between a first position wherein the seat portion isdisposed substantially perpendicular to the frame and a second positionwherein the seat portion is disposed substantially parallel to theframe; and wherein the seat portion of the patient seat support isdisposed in the second position when the fourth panel of the bed isselectively positionable in an upright position by the drive means suchthat the patient adopts a sitting position on the patient seat support.14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 further comprising means wherebythe fourth panel is configured to be brought into a position in whichthe upper surface of the fourth panel is parallel to, but in a higherplane than, the upper surface of the central panel.
 15. An apparatus asclaimed in claim 14 further comprising means for interlocking thecentral panel and the fourth panel, whereby the central panel and fourthpanel are configured to be pivoted together to bring the fourth panelupright.
 16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein the leg supportis pivotally mounted on the fourth panel.
 17. An apparatus as claimed inclaim 16 wherein the pivotal mounting of the leg support in relation tothe fourth panel comprises two arcuate rods fixed to the leg support andtwo tubes fixed to the fourth panel in which the two arcuate rods slide.18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 17 wherein the leg support ismovable simultaneously with the drive means, the second panel and thethird panel are hingedly interconnected for relative movement of thesecond and third panels between an in-line flat position and an angledposition, the fourth panel being pivotally moveable relative to thecentral panel, each of the panels being operable to be in alignment todefine a horizontal position, the panel drive means being operable toraise and lower the fourth panel in a torso mode and raise and lower thefourth panel in an inclined position, with means being provided tosecure the fourth panel in the torso or inclined positions, the fourthpanel being operable to be raised and locked in the torso mode to form astepped configuration with the central panel, the second panel beingpivotable upwardly into a generally vertical position with the thirdpanel to lie into an inclined position, whereby the patient seat supportis placed in position behind the patient with the seat portion restingbetween the patient and the second panel and the back portion extendingupwardly along the patient's back, and with the interlocked fourth paneland central panel being operable to be pivoted upwardly on the baseframe into an upright position whereby the fourth panel is moved to aposition with its upper surface parallel to but in a higher plane than,the upper surface of the central panel, the second panel and the thirdpanel.
 19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 18 wherein the leg supportrotates with the fourth panel when said fourth panel is pivoted upwardlyon the base frame into an upright position.
 20. An apparatus as claimedin claim 19 wherein the patient seat support is positionable in anupright position and adapted to engaged with a buggy for transportingthe patient support away from the bed.
 21. An apparatus as claimed inclaim 20 wherein each panel consists of a rigid panel base and a portionof mattress laid on the rigid base, these portions being provided by afirst mattress on the panel bases of the central panel, the second paneland the third panel and a second mattress on the panel base of thefourth panel.
 22. An apparatus as claimed in claim 21 wherein the baseframe comprises a sub-frame with the plurality of said panels beingmovable on the sub-frame.
 23. An apparatus as claimed in claim 22wherein the leg support is mounted at a side of the frame, the legsupport being movable between the stored position underneath the frameand the engaged position extending outwardly of the frame.
 24. Anapparatus as claimed in claim 23 wherein the leg support is mounted onthe fourth panel, such that when the patient is arranged on the patientseat support with the upper body of the patient resting on the fourthpanel, the upper legs of the patient are bent and extend outwardly overthe leg support which is first movable simultaneously and secondrotatable simultaneously with the fourth panel.